John Nasca News

"At the Table", Michael Perlman's drama of scintillating conversation between diverse friends during a weekend in the country, took home the most honors on Monday, June 5, during the 44th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony recognizing excellence in non-union Chicago theatre. 

The waning days of burlesque in New York City are the setting for Douglas Carter Beane's Tony Award-nominated The Nance, which will begin performances at the Pride Arts Center on June 29th. 

Pride Films and Plays presents Boys Just Frocking Around, A Gay Burlesque. Legendary Honey West will host the evening, accompanied by Robert Ollis on the piano.

The Jeff Awards announced, via a special video presentation, a total of 127 nominations in 26 categories for the 44th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2017.  Hosting the video presentation were Alexis Roston and Lillian Castillo, who will be this year's Mistresses of Ceremonies at the Awards event on June 5 at The Athenaeum.

Kokandy Productions is pleased to announce the final production of its fifth anniversary season: the Tony Award-nominated musical GRAND HOTEL, playing April 15 - May 28, 2018 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Featuring a book by Luther Davis, music and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest and additional music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, the Kokandy production will be directed by Artistic Producer John D. Glover, with music direction by Aaron Benham and choreography by Brenda Didier. Tickets will go on sale at a later date. For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com.

Casting has been announced for Pride Films and Plays' Chicago Premiere of Douglas Carter Beane's Tony Award-nominated play The Nance.

Pride Films and Plays has announced the addition of Lauren Paris to the cast of its critically acclaimed and Jeff-recommended Chicago premiere of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.

Pride Films and Plays' production of the Tony Award-winning musical, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, the company's inaugural production in their two-stage Pride Arts Center, has added an extra four weeks of performances and will now close on Sunday, March 12 rather than the previously announced February 12.

Pride Films and Plays' production of the Tony Award-winning musical, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert opens this month as the company's inaugural production in their two-stage Pride Arts Center. The musical will be performed in The Broadway, the center's 85-seat theatre at 4139 N. Broadway.

Pride Films and Plays' production of the Tony Award-winning musical, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, opens tomorrow, January 17, and continues through February 12, 2017 as the company's inaugural production in their two-stage Pride Arts Center. The musical will be performed in The Broadway, the center's 85-seat theatre at 4139 N. Broadway.  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the cast in action below!

Pride Films and Play presents the Tony Award-winning musical, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, playing this month as the company's inaugural production in their two-stage Pride Arts Center. The musical will be performed in The Broadway, the center's 85-seat theatre at 4139 N. Broadway.

Pride Films and Plays' 2016-17 season will include two Chicago premieres of Tony Award nominated shows and two world premieres, Executive Director David Zak and Artistic Director Nelson Rodriguez announced today.

Complete casting and creative team have been announced for Pride Films and Plays' production of the Tony Award-winning musical, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, which will open in January as the company's inaugural production in their two-stage Pride Arts Center. The musical will be performed in The Broadway, the center's 85-seat theatre at 4139 N. Broadway.

RETURN ENGAGEMENT:  After two sold-out performances earlier this year, Nancy Hays (as Judy Garland) and Michelle Lauto (as Liza Minnelli) are bringing "JUDY & LIZA - ONCE IN A LIFETIME" back to the Uptown Underground on Sunday, October 9th at 7 p.m., in an expanded version with even more songs. This cabaret show is a re-creation of the famed concert presented by the legendary mother-daughter duo of Judy Garland and an 18-year-old Liza Minnelli in 1964 at the London Palladium.  This tribute features the classic songs, costumes, dialogue and dance steps to help the audience re-live the historic occasion, with solos like "The Man That Got Away", "Just in Time" and "Gypsy in My Soul" and duets like "Chicago" and "Get Happy/Happy Days", backed by a jazz combo with orchestral arrangements by Robert Ollis (music director and pianist).

After two sold-out performances earlier this year, Nancy Hays (as Judy Garland) and Michelle Lauto (as Liza Minnelli) are bringing "JUDY & LIZA - ONCE IN A LIFETIME" back to the Uptown Underground on Sunday, October 9th at 7 p.m., in an expanded version with even more songs. This cabaret show is a re-creation of the famed concert presented by the legendary mother-daughter duo of Judy Garland and an 18-year-old Liza Minnelli in 1964 at the London Palladium. This tribute features the classic songs, costumes, dialogue and dance steps to help the audience re-live the historic occasion, with solos like "The Man That Got Away", "Just in Time" and "Gypsy in My Soul" and duets like "Chicago" and "Get Happy/Happy Days", backed by a jazz combo with orchestral arrangements by Robert Ollis (music director and pianist).

Pride Films and Plays' 2016-17 season will include two Chicago premieres of Tony Award nominated shows and two world premieres, Executive Director David Zak and Artistic Director Nelson Rodriguez announced today.

Pride Films and Plays, the LGBTQ+ focused company founded in 2010, will take up residence in the two theaters at 4139 and 4147 N. Broadway in Uptown that were recently vacated by Profiles Theatre, Executive Director David Zak announced today. The 90-seat space at 4139 N. Broadway will serve as the primary venue for the company's stage productions and will be named The Broadway. The 50-seat studio a few doors north at 4147 N. Broadway, to be dubbed The Buena, will serve chiefly as a rental venue. Zak says "We will welcome arts groups of all types - theaters, film fests, comics, musicians, performance artists - who share our mission to speak for the underrepresented populations of our community. The Pride Arts Center will be a safe and open place for all artists."

"The Hairy Ape"- Eugene O'Neill's expressionist play presented in a stark, brutal and imaginative setting; "Byhalia, Mississippi"- a new work of southern love and forgiveness, and "Rent"- the musical update of "La Boheme" performed in a small storefront theatre, took home the most honors on Monday, June 6, at Park West during the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony recognizing excellence in non-union Chicago theatre. 

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 121 nominations in 24 categories for the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 148 productions offered by 67 Non-Equity producing organizations. The Jeff Committee recommended 65 of those shows (or 44%), making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Of the 65 Jeff Recommended productions, a record 53 (or 82%) received nominations, representing 32 theatre companies.